I've actually been planning on reviewing the Kat Von D Shade & Light Eye Palette for a few months now, but since it wasn't new it kind of ended up on the backburner. However, I decided that since there's been a bit of a spotlight put back on it based on some social media drama about dupes and whether or not copying-but-not-knocking-off is okay, it seemed like a good time to get this review out. Now, I don't want to really get into the drama, because I personally feel like there are good points to be made on both sides of the argument and I'm not interested in putting in my two cents, but I do want to tell you guys why I think that this palette is legitimately one of  the best palettes on the market and one that I think is worth everyone who can afford to spending the money on.

So if you want my thoughts on the pretty much iconic Kat Von D Shade & Light Eye Palette, keep reading!

When people asked me what I wanted for Christmas this year, of course I said I wanted Sephora gift cards because... I mean, what else does a makeup junkie really want for Christmas? I mean, I could have made a wishlist of holiday sets or makeup products that I wanted, but I feel like a gift card is a twofer because you get the gift, but you also get to shop - and getting to shop is always a treat, but especially when you're not smashing into your own bank account. So, when Christmas day ended and I was faced with what would be my biggest Sephora spend ever, I was literally having dreams about what I was going to buy. This is a bit of a collective haul and includes 1 online order, 1 return, and a total of 3 trips to my 2 different local Sephoras... all in about 4 days. I know, I'm a fiend, but can you blame me? I was going to hold onto one of the gift cards... but then I got an email telling me that I was almost at VIB Rouge status, so clearly I had to spend it and get myself those perks for 2017.

Let's get onto the haul, shall we?

Like most Sephora lovers, I love when they release their Sephora Favorites kit. Generally, you end up getting a selection of really great products at a really great price. Because I actually do kind of love deluxe sizes of a lot of makeup products - if only because I can almost never get through anything - these are the perfect kits for me. My favorite, and I suspect a lot of people's favorite, is the Give Me Some Lip kits. I love the large sized ones, which contain a ridiculous number of lipsticks, but I actually love the smaller kits even more! The last one that they released was the Give Me Some Nude Lip kit, and I absolutely loved it, so I clearly had to get my hands on the new Give Me Some Lip kit. 

In case you feel like you missed out, I tried two Sephora stores and they were both sold out, but the next time I went back they had several on the shelf, so if you've tried to get ahold of it and haven't been able to... try try again!

Anyway, keep reading for a look at all of the products included in this kit!

So... Let's be honest... This post is basically an excuse for me to fantasy online shop for my own gifts, most of which I will not receive, but also an opportunity to make suggestions for those of you who might be picking up gifts for a beauty obsessed friend or family member this year. This really is the most wonderful time of year for us beauty lovers because companies far and wide are putting together their gift and value sets, usually expertly curated and greatly discounted. It's admittedly pretty hard to keep one's self from ordering them all for her hoardy little self. And by "one", I clearly mean me. 

So without further adieu, keep reading for a look at my picks for Palettes, Value Sets, and Stocking Stuffers. Just as a warning, some of the stocking stuffers might seem a little bit spendy, but I tried to keep them all small and $30 or under.